Fastener orienting, tapping and collection system

ABSTRACT

A machine and method for continuously orienting and tapping fasteners such as pierce nuts with the nuts being advanced in face-to-face manner aligned on the machine feed path. The machine is operable in one mode, in combination with nut collection means, to receive strips of the nuts from the feed path in side-to-side array for delivery in installation-ready coiled strips to an installation assembly or the like. One embodiment of the collection means includes apparatus for collecting and dispensing the nuts in unconnected linear stacks. Tapping of the nuts is performed by the machine in a &#34;reverse flow&#34; or deferred manner just prior to the nuts being dispensed from the feed path with the tapped nuts maintained in face-to-face spaced array. The machine reverse flow tapping provides for burr clearance between the spaced nuts to thereby assure that tapping burrs will not improperly position the nuts obviating machine jamming and thread obstruction by such burrs. A continuous nut orienting apparatus is operative, upon receiving nuts aligned in face-to-face abuttment but in random angular orientation, to provide successive nut rotational movement about the feed path in predetermined directions orienting the nuts in face-to-face abutting array.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 151,549, filed May 20, 1980,U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,694.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to fastener tapping and orienting machines andmore particularly to a method and apparatus for orienting and tappingself attaching fasteners such as pierce nuts, clinch nuts, etc. Morespecifically, the invention in one form is directed to a combinedcontinuous motion machine and method for orienting and tapping nuts bymeans of a deferred tapping operation performed at the dischargeconveyor. The machine receives un-tapped self-piercing nuts which may beinitially vertically disposed in longitudinal serial alignment, anddischarges the tapped nuts in face-to-face spaced array. The nuts, uponbeing advanced from the machine, may be collected and retained as acoiled spiral strip or a linear stack in an installation-ready mannerfor subsequent delivery to nut installation head means.

By a continuous motion orienting and tapping machine it is meant thatpierce nut fasteners or the like being processed by the machine aremoved through the latter in a continuous procession at a substantiallyconstant rate, the various operations being carried on while thefasteners are in uninterrupted motion. The machine of the presentinvention is thus operative in one mode to provide continuous orientingand tapping of the fasteners for feeding to an installation head. Themachine is also operative in a non-continuous mode to allow thefasteners to be discharged and collected for delivery ininstallation-ready coiled strips or linear stacks to a fastenerinstallation head. The invention contemplates the fasteners beingcollected and retained in either a connected or unconnected coiledmanner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Continuous tapping machines are known wherein fasteners, such as pierceand clinch nuts, are advanced along an established feed path of traveland aligned in a pilot face-to-bottom face alignment. The bore axis ofeach nut is in substantial coincidence with the feed path for slidingreception on a nut transport rod supporting a machine tapping tool. Rodrotation means are provided for rotating the tapping tool. The rodrotation tapping arrangement may be in the form of a crank-shankcontinuous tapper which requires that the pierce nuts transversing onthe rod crank-shank portion rotate relative to the rotating rod. Theresultant relative rotation between the nuts and the rod causes the nutsto undergo random angular orientation. As a consequence of such randomorientation it has been the practice to remove nuts from continuoustapping machines for storage to await a subsequent nut orientationoperation.

Another problem is that after being tapped the nuts are advanced inface-to-face abuttment on transport rod means with each nut serving as adriver for the next adjacent downstream nut. Thus, tapping burrs raisedon the nuts are sandwiched between adjacent nuts preventing their flushcontact causing eventual machine jamming. A related problem is thattapping burrs on one nut may be pushed or folded back into its threadedbore by an adjacent driving nut. The nut threads may be deformed orobstructed and fail inspection requiring their scrappage or a separatecounter sinking operation by a nut deburring machine.

One form of such nut orientation involves rods or wires interconnectingor bridging the nuts to form a continuous pre-oriented strip offasteners with the nuts aligned in longitudinal serial array. Thisallows the nuts to be coiled around a reel or spool for installation invarious panels by a fastener installation head requiring high speedintermittent feeding. An example of a dual wire pre-orienting method isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,931 of Ladouceur, et al, assigned tothe Assignee of the present invention, the disclosure of which isincorporated by reference herein. An example of an installation head isshown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,116 of Goldsmith, et al, assigned to theAssignee of this invention, the disclosure of which is also incorporatedby reference herein. The present invention is designed to solve some; ofthe problems in the above mentioned fastener tapping systems includingthe elimination of a separate nut orientation step and the eliminationof a deburring operation to remove tapping burrs while also assuringagainst machine jamming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The machine and method of the present invention for continuouslyorienting and tapping fasteners is particularly adapted to processpierce and clinch nuts of the types disclosed in the above mentionedpatents. The machine includes input or nut receiving conveyor means,such as a dual screw journal conveyor, which may receive nuts from avertically disposed loading passage, cartridge, or the like, inlongitudinal serial alignment with the nuts' planar sides in abuttingrelation. The input conveyor receives and separates the nuts foradvancement in substantial continuous succession on an establishedlongitudinal axis defining a feed path, with the nuts being aligned inface-to-face longitudinally spaced array.

Elongated transport rod means, substantially aligned on the feed path,includes an upstream free end portion operative for the slidingreception in the bore of each nut as the nuts are advanced by the inputconveyor means. The transport rod means extends downstream from theinput conveyor means through serially arranged rod rotation means andnut alignment means for termination in discharge conveyor means.Cylindrical nut passage means are provided for receiving the transportrod means in a substantially concentric manner along the machine flowpath for advancement to the rod rotation means. The cylindrical passagemeans has an internal diameter sized such that the nuts journallysupport the transport rod means on the machine feed path. By virtue ofthis arrangement, the transport rod means is rotated by the rod rotationmeans to allow a tapping tool, supported on the rod means, to rotatetherewith and tap the nut bores as the nuts are advanced thereon by themachine conveyor means.

It is an important feature of the present invention to provide acontinuous motion orienting and tapping machine and method for piercenut fasteners, for example, wherein the nuts are tapped just prior totheir discharge from the machine to avoid machine jamming and fastenerrejection problems associated with fasteners being processed at highvolume rates. In the disclosed reverse flow tapping arrangement piercenuts, oriented in face-to-face abutting array, are advanced from theorienting station by machine conveyor means which longitudinallyseparates the nuts before their being tapped and removed from themachine feed path in spaced array. The longitudinal spacing between thenuts provides for clearance of burrs raised as a result of the tappingoperation. Thus, any sharp edges or burrs raised above the nut faces asa result of the threading tap are not folded back into the threaded boreby contact with a juxtaposed driving nut obviating the obstruction ofthe bore threads. Heretofore, burr portions sandwiched between adjacentnuts prevented such nuts from being advanced on the transport rod inflush face-to-face driving contact creating machine jamming along thefeed path. One solution to this nut burring problem requires a costlyadditional bore countersinking operation by a burring machine to removethe burrs.

The present invention provides a tapping machine and method whereinfasteners such as pierce nuts are advanced on the machine feed axis inface-to-face abutting relation with the nuts in random angularorientation, including a continuous orienting apparatus on the machinealigning opposed sides of the nuts in common parallel planes. Theorienting apparatus provides first and second opposed pairs of camsoperative to initially rotate the advancing randomly arranged nuts ineither a first or second rotational direction to complementary obliqueangular orientations. A third pair of opposed downstream cams rotateeach successive nut from its initial oblique orientation through anadditional predetermined angle aligning advancing nuts in face-to-faceabutting array with their opposed sides in common parallel planes.

In a preferred embodiment the invention provides orienting, tapping andcollecting strips of fasteners such as pierce nuts, for example. Theuntapped nuts are advanced on the machine feed path in face-to-faceabutting relation on transport rod means with the nuts in random angularorientation. The machine, upon orienting and tapping the nuts, feedsstrips of nuts to collection means with the nuts retained in aready-installation manner for later feeding in strips to attachingmeans.

An important feature of the invention is to provide a machine as setforth above wherein strips of nuts are collected, retained andsubsequently advanced to installation means in an unconnected mannereliminating bridging wire connectors or the like between the nuts.

Another feature of the present invention includes linear nut collection,retaining and delivery apparatus providing elongated linear supportmeans for the reception of the bore of each nut of a stack of nuts beingadvanced in face-to-face array from the nut orienting and tappingmachine. A guide portion is supported on the free end of an elongatedcantilevered support with the guide receiving the bight portion of awire loop. The wire loop includes return portions adapted to extendalong the cantilevered support through a nut advancement memberaperture. The nut advancing member is reciprocally movable along thewire loop and its support. The wire portion is adapted to be reeled fromwire dispensing means such as a coil of wire. The second wire returnportion extends along the support means with its free end attached tothe nut advancement member. Upon the coil of wire being rotated in onewire take-up direction the advancement member is caused to move towardthe guide to automatically dispense the stack of nuts from the chute tonut installation means.

Other advantages, objects and meritorious features of this inventionwill more fully appear from the following description of the preferredembodiment, claims and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view partly in section of an illustrativefastener continuous feeding, orienting, tapping and discharging machineembodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective side elevation of one embodiment of the fastenernut for use with this invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the fastener continousorienting apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 5--5of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical diagramatic view taken partially in the plane ofline 6--6 of FIG. 4, showing portions of the camming means of thepresent invention;

FIG. 7 is a vertical diagramatic view taken partially in the plane ofline 7--7 of FIG. 4 and detailing certain fasteners adapted to cooperatewith the camming means of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a diagramatic fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyin the plane of line 8--8 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged detail view of a cam member of the first cammingmeans;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged detail view of the cam face of the third cammingmeans upper cam member;

FIG. 11 is a top elevational view, partly in section, with parts brokenaway taken in the plane of line 11--11 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional fragmentary view taken substantially inthe plane of line 12--12 of FIG. 11 showing the output conveyor of themachine;

FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional fragmentary view taken on the line13--13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a partial view of the discharge conveyor of FIG. 1 togetherwith a partially schematic representation of one form of unconnected nutcollection reel apparatus.

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 14 showing a wire connected nutcollection reel apparatus;

FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 14 showing a partially schematicrepresentation of an elongated linear wire loop nut strip collectionapparatus;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 17--17of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a partially schematic view of the nut collection apparatus ofFIG. 14 feeding nuts to a nut installation head;

FIG. 19 is a view similar to FIG. 18 showing the nut collectiveapparatus of FIG. 15 feeding nuts to a nut installation head; and

FIG. 20 is a view similar to FIG. 18 showing the nut collectionapparatus of FIG. 16 in its nut feeding mode for feeding nuts to a nutinstallation head.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As described above the combined fastener tapping and orientingcontinuous motion machine of the present invention is particularlyadapted to tap and orient fasteners or nuts of the type shown in theabove mentioned Ladouceur et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,860. Reference maybe made to this patent for specific details of the pierce nut which isnot disclosed herein, including one method wherein a continuous strip ofthe fasteners is rolled in coil form on a nut coil spool for delivery toan installation station.

Before proceeding with the description of the continous orienting andtapping machine of the present invention, a pierce nut 20 illustrativefastener will be briefly and generally described. As shown moreparticularly in FIG. 2 the pierce nut 20 including a body portion 21 anda reduced pilot portion 22 having a polygonal top pilot or piercing face23, which in the disclosed form is generally rectangular. The nut bodyportion 21 includes a pair of oppositely extending flange portions 24 atthe body portion bottom face 28, one flange extending from each endthereof. A central aperture or bore 26 extends through the nut bodyperpendicular to the plane of the polygonal faces 23 and 28 includingthe flange portions 24. The fastener sides 27 in the disclosed form aregenerally flat or substantially planar and perpendicular to the pilotface 23.

As described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,187,796, the pierce nut pilot face23 is adapted to pierce its own hole in a panel, wherein the nut servesas the punch, and is forced through a panel or plate to form its ownhole. The nut 20 is provided with its own grooves 30, located betweenthe top of the flange portion 24 and the nut pilot face 23, into whichthe panel is deformed by a die operation to receive the nut to the panelin a single stroke of a press. The grooves 30 define shoulders 32 whichprovide the piercing edges of the nut. In the disclosed double wireembodiment of the fastener a pair of linear grooves 34 (FIG. 3) aredefined in the bottom face 28 of the nut, generally perpendicular to theaxis of the aperture or bore 26 and the sides 27, and parallel to thepanel receiving grooves 30. The retainer grooves 34 are adapted toreceive and secure retaining wires or rods, as described hereinbelow.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, the illustrative continuousorienting and tapping machine 40 is shown including a base 42. Themachine is adapted to receive a supply of fasteners such as the piercenut 20 illustrated in FIG. 2. The nuts are stacked in longitudinalserial or side-to-side abutting alignment in a vertically disposedloading passage such as chute 46 of generally rectangular configurationfor guiding and dispensing the nuts through a bottom opening 48 fromwhich they are successively withdrawn by gravity and loaded on inputconveyor means such as a continously rotating screw drive input conveyor50.

The input conveyor 50 in the disclosed form is substantially identicalto output conveyor means, shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, to be described.Suffice is to say the input conveyor includes a pair of rolls beingshown at 51 and 52 rotating on parallel shafts (not shown) in a givenhorizontal plane which includes the machine feed axis or path 53. Therolls 51, 52 have helical square shaped thread surface formations 54,which are rotated in opposite directions. In a conventional manner theopposed threads 54 are arranged to engage the nut flanges 24 locatingeach nut bore axis in substantial coincidence with the feed axis 53,whereby the nuts are successively advanced by the input conveyor inface-to-face aligned spaced array.

The nuts are successively advanced downstream transferred tolongitudinally disposed upper and lower feed plates 56 and 57 includingtherein elongated transport rod means 58 having its upstream lead-in endportion 59 aligned on the feed axis 53 between the conveyor rolls 51,52. In FIG. 3, the nuts 20 are shown arranged on the transport rod means58 in a substantially continuous pilot face-to-bottom face manner, withthe pilot face 23 trailing and the bottom face 28 leading the directionof downstream travel. It will be noted, however, that the inventioncontemplates the nuts being reversed, i.e., with nut bottom face 28trailing and nut top pilot face 23 leading.

The nuts 20 are transported along the feed axis 53 in an upstreamtubular cylinder 60 for transfer to a continuous rod rotation meansindicated generally at 61, the details of which do not form a part ofthe present invention. Suffice to say that the diagramatically showncontinuous rod rotation means 61 is in the form of a "crank shank"continuous tapper including an outer rotatable spindle member 62defining passage means 63 enclosing a central curved transport rod crankportion 64 with its leading or downstream shank end 66 and its trailingor upstream shank end 68 positioned in substantial coincidence with thefeed axis 53 of the machine. When the machine 40 is in operation, thespindle 62 is rotated on the feed axis 53 and the drank portion 64 issimultaneously rotated around the feed axis 53. The abutting nuts 20 areadvanced along the upstream shank end portion 68 and snaked around thecurved crank portion 64 to the downstream shank end portion 66.

The rod means 58 is shown supported in tubular portion cylindricalpassage means in journal-like manner by the nuts 20, as seen in FIG. 3.That is, the maximum diagonal dimension of the nuts, indicated bydimension "A" is slightly less than the internal diameter "B" of annularpassage 67. A corresponding relation exits between the passage means 63of spindle 62 and the crank portion 64. As a consequence rotation ofspindle 62 causes rotation of the crank portion 64 about the feed axis53 rotating the rod means 58.

It will be noted that the nuts 20, are discharged from the continuousrod rotation means 61 aligned in face-to-face abutting sequence but withtheir sides 27 randomly angularly positioned or oriented about the feedaxis 53. An output or downstream tubular portion or cylinder 70 of therotation means 61 includes downstream cylindrical passage means 71 whichencloses transport rod means 58 aligned on the feed axis 53. Thetransport rod means 58 successively receives the advancing nuts from:downstream shank end 66 of crank rod portion 64 for advancement of thenuts into a continuous nut orienting apparatus 80 of the presentinvention shown incorporated with the machine 40.

Turning now to FIG. 4 it will be seen that the continuous nut orientingapparatus 80 is supported on base 42 by a main frame angle member orbracket 82 including a horizontal flange portion 84 (FIG. 1) and avertical flange portion 86. The bracket 82 rests on and is secured tothe base 42 by screws (not shown) with its vertical portion apertured at88 in which a mounting bushing 90 is anchored to flange portion 86 bybolts 91 extending through the bushing annular mounting collar 92.

Essentially, the nut orienting means 80 are carried at a downstreamlocation relative to the bushing 90. An initial portion of the nutorienting means is supported by and contained within axially disposedcylindrical orienting tubular frame 93, having a chamber or passage 94.The tube 93 is telescopically received within axial bore 95 of supporthousing or body 96. The body 96 is mounted on plate bushing 90 by bolts(not shown) with a spindle portion 97 of orienting tube 93 extendingthrough bushing opening 98.

As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5 first front camming means, in the form of afirst or front pair of mirror image cam finger members 100 and 102, aresupported in orienting tubular frame 93 in diagonally opposed relationwith the cam members symmetrically located on a longitudinallyextending, 45° oriented plane 103 including the machine feed axis 53.Second intermediate camming means in the form of a second pair of mirrorimage cam fingers or members 104 and 106, are supported in frame 93 indiagonally opposed relation, 180° removed from the first pair of cammembers 100, 102. The cam members 104 and 106 are shown symmetricallylocated on longitudinally extending, 45° oriented plane 107 which alsoincludes the axis 53. The body 96, in the preferred form, issubstantially square in transverse vertical cross-section with itsopposed side faces 110 and 112 positional at 45° angles to the vertical.Similarly, the body opposed side faces 114 and 116 are positioned at 45°angles to the vertical.

Each pair of the cam members 100, 102 and 104, 106 are generallyblock-like in configuration adapted to be positioned in longitudinallyextending stepped guide slots in frame 93. The slots, are shown at 120and 122, for cam members 100 and 102 respectively and at 124 and 126,for cam members 104 and 106 respectively. Each of the stepped guideslots 120, 122, 124 and 126 has an enlarged outer portion 130, 132, 134and 136, respectively defining longitudinally extending paired slotshoulders upon which their associated cam members 100, 102 and 104, 106are supported by side rails such as 137 in FIG. 9 for interlocking withtubular orienting frame 93. The cam members are sized for radial slidingmovement so as to be located in the chamber 94 with their working camfaces at a predetermined radial distance from the feed axis 53.

It will be noted in FIG. 5 that each of the opposed intermediate cammembers 104 and 106 have associated therewith a cam plate 140, locatedin outer rectangular sectioned slots 142 and 143 respectively, adaptedfor flush engagement with its associated slot face of the body 96. Eachcam plate 140, 141 has a threaded aperture 144 and 145 respectively.Each cam member 104, 106 is adapted to have its cam rails positivelyretained on its associated slot shoulders, by means of adjustable, ovalpointed, stud bolts indicated at 146 and 147 extending into radial bores148 and 149, respectively.

Each of the opposed front cam members 100 and 102 has a blind bore 150and 151 formed in the outer side thereof operative to capture the innerend of biasing spring means in the form of helical compression springsshown at 152 and 153, respectively. Each of the springs 152 and 153 hasits outer end engaged by a hollow head set screw 154 and 155 threaded inan associated bore 156 and 157 capturing the outer end of its associatedcoil spring 152 and 153, respectively. By this arrangement, each frontcam member 100 and 102 is individually radially biased inwardly in aresilient, floatably mounted manner in its associated guide slotaccommodating to machine jamming situations.

It will be noted in FIG. 4 that cam member 100 has its cam face 160 leadedge 100' aligned in a first given transverse plane indicated byconstruction line "E" while second cam member 106 has its face cam 161lead edge 106' aligned in a second given transverse plane indicated byconstruction line "F". FIG. 3 shows that plane of line "F" intersectsthe first cam member 100 in the region of triangular lead-in cam face162. Further, the cam member 100 has a positioning or nut retainingrectangular face 163 which, with its opposed paired cam member 102rectangular retaining face 164 (FIG. 9) successively engages nuts of afirst group of nuts 20' (FIG. 6). The nuts 20' are rotated in a firstdirection "X" for retention at a first oblique angle of about 45°.

At substantially the same time the second pair of cam members 104 and106 triangular lead-in cam faces, indicated by face 165 of cam member106, successively engage nuts of a second group of nuts 20". The nutretaining faces 163 and 164 of the first pair of cam members 100 and 102respectively, longitudinally override the came faces 166 and 161 of thesecond pair of cam members 104 and 106. This insures that each firstgroup nuts 20' is retained at its initial predetermined oblique angleduring the rotational orienting movement of the next adjacent abuttingupstream nut. FIG. 9 shows front cam member 102 with a triangulartransition cam face 169 corresponding to face 162 of cam member 100.

The second pair of cam members 104 and 106 are designed to substantiallysimultaneously contact a second group of nuts diagonally opposed leadingedge portions and rotate same in a second rotational direction "Y" (FIG.6). This initially orients each second group nut at a second initialpredetermined oblique angle, shown at 20" in FIG. 7 to be about an angleof 45°. It will be noted that the initial oblique angle position of eachnut 20" is complementary to the initial oblique angle each of nut 20'.The nut 20" is momentarily retained at the second oblique angle becauseits one planar side 27 is in flush sliding contact with inclinedlongitudinally extending rectangular retaining face 167 of cam member104 and its opposed planar side 27 being in flush sliding contact withinclined longitudinally extending rectangular face 168 of diagonal cammember 106. Thus, in the case where two successive random nuts arerotated in opposite directions (FIG. 6), the nuts 20' and 20" will beinitially oriented about the feed path or transport rod 58 incomplementary 90° relation (FIG. 7).

As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the continuous orienting means furtherincludes third camming means in the form of a third back pair ofsubstantially identical mirror image upper and lower cam members 170 and172 shown movably supported on the trailing or downstream end 174 of theorienting tubular frame 93. In the disclosed form the cam members 170and 172 are retained by means of interlocking side rails 176 (FIG. 10)engaging cooperating shoulders (not shown) in tubular orienting frame 93in the same manner as cam members 100 and 102. A vertically disposedplate 182 has a rectangular aperture 184 for reception of notched endportion 186 of rectangular sectioned nut aligning channel or chute 200.

Thus, the third pair of cam members 170 and 172 are floatably mountedunder the influence of upper and lower resilient biasing means in theform of compression coil springs shown at 206 and 208, respectively, toreciprocate vertically from an innermost location to an outwardlyretracted position. Each coil spring 206 and 208 has one outer endsuitably retained by set screws 210 and 211 respectively, threadablyreceived in opposed bores 212 and 213. The inner ends of the coilsprings are telescoped in aligned blind bores 214 and 216 of the cammembers 170 and 172, respectively. Thus, the vertically opposed back cammembers 170 and 172 are floatably supported such that the springs 206and 208 bias the members 170 and 172 into precise orienting contact witheach successive first and second obliquely positioned nut. The floatingcam members 170 and 172 accommodate to machine jamming situations in themanner of cam members 100 and 102.

As seen in FIGS. 4, 7 and 10, each of the diametrically opposed cammembers 170 and 172 includes upper and lower paired, camming faces 220,222 and 224, 226 respectively, symmetrically disposed relative to thevertical plane "Z" of the feed axis 53. It will be noted that the upperpair of beveled cam faces 220 and 222 converge inwardly and in theupstream direction of nut travel to define a cam edge 223 aligned inplane "Z". In a mirror image manner the lower cam faces 224 and 226converge inwardly and in the upstream direction of nut travel to definea lower cam edge 227.

The two intersperced nut groups initially oriented at either a first orsecond oblique angle of FIG. 7, are advanced downstream for engagementby the third pair of camming means. As a result each successive nut isrotated by the converging upper and lower cam faces of cam members 170and 172. That is, each nut to be rotated about the feed axis 53 ineither a first or second rotational direction from its respective first20' or second 20" oblique angular orientation (FIG. 7) to apredetermined single orientation (FIG. 8) with its opposed sides 27disposed, respectively, in given parallel planes.

As seen in FIGS. 4 and 8 the third cam members 170 and 172 include asecond pair of upper and lower horizontally disposed parallel trailingnut retaining surfaces 230 and 231 operative to engage and maintain theopposed planar sides 27 of each nut in common substantially horizontallydisposed planes.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 4 it will be seen that the nuts aresuccessively advanced in continuous face-to-face abuttment and inuniform angular orientation or array from the cam surfaces 230 and 231aligned with the feed chute 200 horizontally disposed upper and lowerwalls. The nuts, supported on the transport rod means 58, exit the opendownstream end 232 of chute 200 and continue on the feed path into thealigned nut receiving and spacing passage 233 of discharge conveyormeans in the form of continuous screw driven discharge conveyor 234.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show the transport rod means 58 with its downstream freeend portion 235, terminating in the discharge conveyor passage 233,having tapping means generally indicated at 236, located thereon. Thedischarge conveyor 234 cooperates with the thread tapping tool means inthat it receives untapped nuts in face-to-face abutting array at itsinput upstream end and longitudinally spaces the nuts prior to theirbeing advanced to the tapping tool means 236. It will be noted that thepitch of the tap 236 must be equal to or a multiple of the pitch or leadof the threads on the rolls 244.

Upon the nuts being internally threaded they are advanced from thetapping tool means 236 for movement by the conveyor 234 to the verticalend face of abuttment wall 237 defining, with conveyor lateral guides238, a vertically disposed discharge passage 239. The nuts aresuccessively received in passage 239 for gravitational flow inlongitudinal spaced side-to-side serial alignment into a verticallydisposed nut receiving chute 240. The chute 240 is of rectangularsection operative to maintain the nuts in longitudinal strips i.e., thenuts serially aligned in side-to-side relation with their side walls 27abutting and the grooves 34 coaxially aligned.

As seen in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13, the discharge conveyor 234 is similar tothe input conveyor 50 and includes a pair of longitudinally disposedrolls, shown at 242 and 244, rotating on parallel axis or shafts 246 and248 in a plane parallel to the feed axis 53 and on either side thereof.The rolls 242 and 244 have helical surface formations with squarethreads 252 and 254, respectively, rotated by their associated rolls inopposite directions. As with input conveyor 50 the opposed squarethreads are arranged so that their grooves engage the nut flanges 24whereby the nuts are removed from the downstream free end portion 235 oftransport rod means 58.

It is a feature of the present invention to locate the tapping toolmeans in the form of the threading tap 236 on the downstream free endportion 235 of the transport rod means to provide deferred or reverseflow tapping. The discharge conveyor 234 cooperates with the tap 236 inthat the conveyor receives untapped nuts in face-to-face abutting arrayand longitudinally spaces the nuts before their being advanced to thetapping means. As a result the threading tap 236, which includes alead-in taper portion and a final tap portion, internally threads thenuts in their spaced mode of advancement with the nuts beinggravitationally withdrawn from the machine feed path by escapementthrough vertical passage 239.

The invention utilizes the discharge conveyor spacing to accomplishreverse flow tapping of the nuts which, in the machine shown, is apenultimate tapping operation just prior to the successive discharge ofthe nuts. This is to be contrasted with conventional initial tappingwherein the tapping tool means are normally located on the upstream freeend portion 59 of the rod means 58. It has been found that rough orsharp burr edges, raised by the tapping tool, may extend from the nutfaces at the threaded bore. The raised burrs prevent the nuts from beingproperly aligned in flush face-to-face abutting driving relation in thecrank rotation means 61 and result in machine jamming. Driving contactbetween tapped nuts may also cause adjacent nuts to push or fold thesandwiched burr portions into their associated nut threaded boresdeforming or obstructing the threads such that they fail inspection.These nuts either require a separate deburring operation or must bescrapped.

It will be noted in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 that tapping oil cooling meansare provided in the form of an oil flow block, generally indicated at260, supported by an angle bracket 261 extending from vertical machinesupport upright 262. A coolant oil flow passage 263 extendslongitudinally through the block 260 to supply oil to a series ofvertically disposed nozzle means 264 aligned on the feed axis above thetapping tool means.

Turning now to FIG. 14, nut strip collection means are provided in theform of a receiving, storing and feeding apparatus shown generally at270. The apparatus includes a nut delivery chute 271, formed of suitableflexible plastic material such as polyethelene shown and described inU.S. Pat. No. 3,858,299 issued to Woods and assigned to the assignee ofthe present application. The chute 271 receives nuts 267 in side-to-sideabutting array from the discharge passage 239 by means of a verticalportion 268 which portion communicates with a linear chute horizontalportion 269 receiving the nuts by gravity flow. The chute 271 issupported in guides 272 and 273 secured to base support 274. A riser orvertical support 275 is shown on base support 274. The chute 271terminates in outlet 276 abutting a tangentially extending feed passageportion 277 of a nut storage spool 278 supported on riser 275 by meansof spool shaft 279.

A motor driven magnetic nut pick-up means in the form of arm 280 isshown supported on shaft 279. In the embodiment of FIG. 14, the nutstorage spool 278 includes a spiral track 281 operative to receive theunconnected nuts therein in side-to-side coiled serial array from chuteoutlet 276. The nuts 267 are gravity fed by chute through spooltangential passage portion 277 to the radially outer access opening 283of the spiral track at the lowest point or nadir of the spool forpick-up by the motor driven magnetic arm 280. The spool in thisembodiment is stationary. Arm 280 is operative to be rotated on shaft279 by a motor 282 and slipping clutch mechanism 284 in a firstcounter-clockwise direction to advance the nuts and load the spiraltrack 281. It will be noted that the magnetic pick-up means could be inthe form of a rotating magnetic disk or a plurality of radiatingspoke-like arms. Thus, the strip of nuts are stored in aninstallation-ready unconnected manner for dispensing from the tangentialpassage portion 277 upon the pick-up magnetic arm 280 being rotated inan opposite or clockwise manner by motor 282 to be described.

FIG. 15 illustrates somewhat schematically a modified nut loading andstorage arrangement 290 wherein the nuts are fed by means of thevertical nut-delivery chute 240' via its lower angled portion 240" to anut strip forming apparatus of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.3,711,931 of Ladouceur et al, assigned to the Assignee of the presentapplication. In this embodiment motor driven paired knurling tools 291,mounted on shaft 292, are rolled over paired wires 293 from freelyrotatable spools 294 to deform the bottom of the pierce nut by radiallyextending teeth 295 and retain the wires in the coaxially aligned nutgrooves 34. A back-up or support roller 296 is shown mounted on shaft297. The knurling tools shaft 292 is driven by motor 298 supported onbase support 299. The pre-oriented nut strip 300 is then fed through atangential spool feed chute 301 by the knurling means and coiled in amotor driven rotating reel or spool 302 in a conventional manner asshown in the mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,931. The spool 302 is mountedon a motor shaft 303 which is driven by the motor 298 and clutchmechanism 305. A riser 306 on base support 299 supports the spool shaft303.

The preoriented nut strip 300 is then coiled by the motor driven nutcoil spool 302. As explained in the mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,860,the spool 302 is driven by the motor 298 through the clutch mechanism305, operative to prevent pulling apart or deformation of the nut coilstrip 300. It will be noted that the preoriented nut strip 300 is coiledwith the retaining wires 293 at the inner end of the pierce nuts,adjacent the shaft 303. When the strips of nuts 300 is coiled in reel302, the motor is stopped and the reel 302 is delivered to aninstallation station in the same manner as reel 278.

FIG. 16 illustrates somewhat schematically still another nut receivingand collection arrangement of the present invention wherein the nuts arefed from the machine discharge conveyor 234 aligned on the feed axis ofthe machine. The nuts are received by linear nut collection means,generally indicated at 310, including a wire loop 311 that is reeledfrom a rotatable wire spool 312 supported on shaft 313 driven by motor314 to coiled wire 315 thereon.

The wire 315 is fed from the spool 312 with wire loop first upper returnportion 311a extending through central aperture 316 of nut dispensing orunloading means in the form of the flexible wire loop 311 and a pusherblock 318. The block has a central aperture 316 and is slidablysupported in a U-shaped channel member 330 for reciprocal traveltherein. The block outer face 319 is operative to engage a first nut ofa string or stack of nuts received on the wire loop. The wire 315, forexample a 0.029 in diameter music wire, has a bight portion looped overa fixed wire guide 320 and a second lower return wire portion 311bextending through the pusher block aperture 316 for anchoring to fixedsupport riser 321 at 311c.

In the disclosed form the wire guide portion 320 is supported at thefree end of a cantilevered support means. In the disclosed embodime;nt,the guide support means is an elongated self-supporting rod 322. The rod322 has its opposite end suitably fixed to the riser 321 of a supportbase 324. The guide member is located in juxtaposition to the exit 335of chute means 336 for slidably receiving each bore of the string ofnuts advanced by gravity flow from the discharge conveyor 234. Thus, apredetermined string or stack of nuts is received on the wire loop upperand lower linear return portions 311a and 311b.

With reference to FIG. 17, it will be seen that a longitudinallyextending nut alignment means in the form of channel 330 is provided forthe linear nut collection means 310 having its planar bottom 332supported on base 324 so as to extend beyond the free edge 325 of thebase. The channel 330 has a generally U-shaped configuration defined bya pair of vertical walls 334, 335 and the bight or bottom 332therebetween spaced to receive a string or stack of nuts 327 beingadvanced from a double-L configured means 336. The double-L chute has anupper short length curved portion 337 for receiving the string of nuts327 in face-to-face spaced array from the machine feed path. The stringof nuts is fed by gravity or powered by rollers 244 in face-to-faceabutting array through a lower horizontally disposed short curvedportion 338 such that each nut pushes the nut ahead of itself in asliding manner for sliding reception of the nut bores on guide portion320 extending beyond the outer open end 339 of the channel 330. Byvirtue of the arrangement the stack of nuts 327 are maintained inface-to-face abutting array by being received in the outer open end 339of the U-shaped channel 330. Thus, with the block 318 positioned asshown in FIG. 16, a full stack of nuts will be loaded and stored on thecantilevered rod 322. It will be noted that the linear nut collectionmeans 310 could be oriented to extend at an inclined angle to thehorizontal to increase the gravitational flow if desired.

Turning now to FIGS. 18 and 19, there are shown two arrangements fordelivering a strip of nuts in an installation-ready predeterminedquantity to a nut installation or attaching head assembly indicatedgenerally a 350. An example of an installation head is shown anddescribed in the Ladouceur U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,931.

With respect to FIG. 18, the loaded nut collection reel or spool 278 isremoved from the reeler support riser 275 and transported to a supportriser 275' of a de-reeler adapted to unwind the coiled unattached stripof nuts 268 from the reel 278. As nut delivery de-reeler means 352 issubstantially identical to the nut collection reeler 270 with primednumerals designating like or corresponding parts.

The de-reeler means 352 operates to unwind the coiled unconnected stripof nuts 267 from the spool 278 by rotating the magnetic pickup arm 280in a clockwise direction. A guide plate or finger 353 is supported inthe spool tangent passage by means of block 359 in a manner similar to aguide finger shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,334,724 assigned to the assigneeof the present invention. The finger 353 is arched or inclined to extenddownwardly toward the spiral track access oepning 283. The guide fingeris positioned to engage each nut exiting opening 283 to insure itsseparation from the magnetic attraction of the rotating member 280.

The strip of nuts are advanced through the tangent chute portion 277into horizontally disposed chute 271' extending through a first guide273' and a second guide 272' to feed block 360, which includes a taperedinlet opening 362 for reception of the string of nuts 268 in lowerhousing assembly 364. Upper housing assembly 366 and guide post assembly368 are shown in outline to indicate their location.

With reference to FIG. 19, the double wire feeding arrangement isgenerally shown and described in the above mentioned U.S. Pat. No.3,845,860 Ladouceur et al. Upon the nut strips 300 being loaded, thereel 302 may be moved to a de-reeler 370. The head may include a feedmeans, not shown, which feeds nuts in the strip to the plunger. Pairedwire 292 connected nuts are advanced into tangent chute 301 and throughchute 371. The chute 371 extends through guides 372 and 373 supported onbase 374 to inlet opening 362 of the head assembly 350.

FIG. 20 shows the delivery mode of the linear nut collection means orassembly 310 of FIGS. 16 and 17. In this form of the invention theassembly 310 is transported on the base support 324 to the installationhead 350 with the edge 325 of base in abuttment with free edge 382 ofwork surface 384. Thus, the channel bottom 332 is located in recessedarea 386 to allow the nuts to be advanced from the outer open end 336 ofthe channel 330 for sliding reception on the work surface 384.

The nuts are advanced by motor 314 rotating wire coil shaft 313 to causethe pusher block 318 to travel toward the left in the channel 330. Thestring of nuts 327 are slidably removed from the channel 330 and thewire loop 311 and advanced with their side faces 27 being received onthe work surface 384 and the nuts in face-to-face abutting array. Thework surface 384 includes side wall means one of which is shown at 388,defining a nut feed channel to maintain the string of nuts in alignmenton work surface 384.

An upwardly and outwardly inclined head camming or guide plate 390 isprovided between the walls 388. The inclined surface 292 of guide plate390 engages each nut upper lead horizontal edge causing each nut to betilted in succession about its lower horizontal trailing edge and tippedover. In this manner, the unconnected nuts are fed into passage inlet394 in side-to-side abutting array as a strip of nuts 396 with each nutpilot face 23 placed in sliding contact with the work surface 384. Thelinear feeding system and method of this invention eliminates therequirement of nut connecting means at the installation site which isadvantageous for jam free operation of the nut installation headapparatus.

We claim:
 1. In a machine for orienting, tapping and collecting a groupof nuts aligned for subsequent delivery to a nut installation means ininstallation-ready array, each nut having generally flat polygonal endfaces, a nut bore extending through said end faces, and flange portionsextending from opposite sides of the nut adjacent one end face, themachine comprising:(a) first conveyor means for advancing said nuts inend face to end face array in a longitudinal feed path; (b) elongatedrod means aligned on said feed path receiving said nut bores including atapping means forming a female thread in said nut bores, said rod meansrotatably journaled and supported on said feed path by means of therandomly oriented nuts advancing on said rod means; (c) nut orientingmeans successively receiving said randomly oriented nuts in end face toend face array, said nut orienting means rotating said nuts about thelongitudinal axis of said feed path and orienting said nuts in saidarray with said flange portions aligned in parallel planes; and, (d)collection means collecting said aligned nuts in a second pathtransverse to said feed path in side to side abutting installation-readyarray and separating groups of said aligned nuts for subsequentinstallation.
 2. The machine for orienting, tapping and collecting agroup of nuts as defined in claim 1, characterized in that saidcollection means includes magnetic means operative to be rotated in onedirection for advancing the strip of nuts onto a spiral track bymagnetic attraction for retaining the separated strip of nuts on coileduncollected installation-ready side to side abutting array and saidmagnetic means operative to be rotated in the opposite direction foradvancing the coiled strip of unconnected nuts from said spiral track bymagnetic attraction delivering the aligned strip of unconnected nuts inside to side abutting array to a nut installation means.
 3. The machinefor orienting, tapping and collecting a group of nuts as defined inclaim 1, characterized in that said collection means includes a meansjoining the separated strip of nuts by readily frangible connector meansinterconnecting adjacent nuts aligned in side to side abutting array andcoiling said nuts in a continuous coil of interconnected nuts.
 4. In acontinuous method of orienting, tapping and collecting a group of nutsfor delivery in installation-ready serial array to a nut installationmeans, each nut having a body portion including generally polygonal endfaces, flanged portions extending from opposed sides of said nut withthe opposite sides being generally flat and a central bore extendingthrough each nut body portion generally perpendicular to said end faces,the method comprising the following steps:(a) advancing a group of nutsalong a longitudinal feed path with the nut bores coaxially aligned andthe sides in random angular relation; (b) advancing and orienting saidgroup of nuts by successively rotating each nut about the longitudinalaxis of said feed path, with each successive nut arranged on the feedpath in face to face abutting array and orienting said flange portionsin serial parallel alignment; (c) tapping the bore of each nut as thegroup of nuts are advanced on said feed path; (d) advancing said nuts ina second path transverse to said feed path in side to sideinstallation-ready abutting array with said flanges extendingperpendicular to said second path; and, (e) separating groups of alignednuts from said second path for subsequent delivery to a nut installationmeans.
 5. The method of orienting, tapping and collecting a group ofnuts as defined in claim 4, including collecting said separated group ofaligned nuts in an unconnected spiral coil of nuts for subsequentdelivery to a nut installation means.
 6. The method of orienting,tapping and collecting a group of nuts as defined in claim 4, includingjoining said separated group of aligned nuts by readily frangibleconnector means interconnecting adjacent nuts to one another in saidside to side installation-ready abutting array.